On 1 May, Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ronald Weasley entered Hogsmeade, knowing that one of Voldemort's Horcruxs was somewhere within Hogwarts Castle and seeking to destroy it. After being saved from a Death Eater patrol by Aberforth and convincing him to help them, Aberforth sent Ariana down this passage to obtain an escort for the three. They were thus led down this passage by Neville Longbottom, who used the journey to explain the current state of affairs in the castle. Later that night, as preperations for battle began, members of Dumbledore's Army, the Order of the Phoenix, and their allies Apparated to the Hog's Head and entered the castle via this passage. Conversely, underage members of the student body and all those otherwise unwilling to fight left the castle using this same passage.